As beings who succumb to self-pity easily, we need a constant reminder of the little and big joys of life. Especially today, when we engage with the digital world every waking second and let feelings of jealousy, anxiety, insecurities, and low self-esteem grow even stronger through social media.
When things seem bleak, and problems seem to be mounted into a pile, we tend to lose hope and curse our life. That is followed by feelings of regret, shame, and sadness, all of which contribute to a bad state of mental health.
It can seem impossible to be grateful all the time. It isn’t even feasible. Sometimes, the knowledge that others have it worse isn’t beneficial. It is hard to acknowledge that each day is a gift. So here are seven things you need to remember every time you face bad, trying, and challenging times, which will help in reminding you that each day is a gift:
1. Take Everything One Day At A Time
We are mostly so engrossed in the business of our lives; we forget to pause and take a breather. Being in a hurry all the time can lead to stress, worry, and anxiety, causing our mental health to take a turn for the worse. You will find yourself always regretting the past and worrying about the future. And in doing so, you forget about the present, the moment you are in.
All that matters is you, right now. We need to be more mindful of letting ourselves be present in each moment and not let it pass by without acknowledging that each day is a gift and appreciate it.
Olia Nayda
Much like everything else that improves our mental health, this task is easier said than done. We obviously will worry about things, even if we know it isn’t good for us. And that’s natural.
But what you need to do is make a conscious effort to not let it become toxic. That takes work, energy, and growth. But once you learn to do it, it will help you appreciate every good thing in your life.
So, every once in a while, when things seem out of control, stop what you are doing. Bring yourself to the moment you are in and remind yourself that everything is going to be alright. A little self-reassurance works wonders.
2. Stop Complaining And Blaming Your Luck
It’s true that life hands us lemons a lot, but making lemonade is not always our first go-to. When problems are tossed at us, we tend to deflect. It is human nature, after all. While solving problems should be our first thought, it is rarely ever our first action. Before we get to fixing, we walk through the sacred rite of passage that is complaining. It may be temporarily liberating, but it’s never helpful.
Andre Hunter
While a little complaining is natural, sometimes even required to help you accept the situation you are in and not live in denial, a consistent habit of complaining, cribbing, and blaming your rotten luck becomes toxic to your mental health. It messes with your self-esteem and impairs your eyesight to the point where you view everything from the lens of self-pity.
Luck, in itself, is a vague concept. It can be uplifting to think that the odds are with us, but it’s much more damaging to believe that they are against us. Rotten luck is an awful concept; it will eat you up inside. Because the more you blame everything else except you for problems, the less your focus will be on growth, learning, and productivity.
You need to accept your reality, to understand that each day is a gift. It would help if you took control of your decisions and actions and get them as yours. It’s natural to blame others in those situations, and perhaps even required to remind yourself of the person who is accountable.
But letting blame turn into resentment is where your mental health gets affected. Click here to read an article about how science explains this need of people to complain.
3. Perspective
“There are others much less fortunate than you. You have a roof over your head. You should be grateful to God.”It’s what people say to remind you of perspective. But speaking from personal experience, this never really makes us feel better or solves our problems.
It may give us a temporary feeling of gratefulness, but it doesn’t take away what we are feeling. If anything, it makes our feelings invalid. This kind of perspective isn’t reassuring.
It would be best if you allowed yourself to feel the emotion you have at that moment. But at the same time, it’s important not to let it get to you. That is where perspective comes in.
Nadine Shaabana
To remember that each day is a gift, we need to let ourselves shift our focus and view things from a broader perspective that doesn’t necessarily focus solely on us. Look at the big picture. Look at how this will translate ten years from now. Look at whether it changes you as a person, for better.
If not, focus on how you can let a problem become a lesson to help you grow. The bigger the lens you will use to view at anything troubling you, the smaller it will seem.
4. Your Mental Health Is Top Priority
Nothing in the world exceeds the importance of your health, physical and mental. A situation that warrants stress, anxiety, and toxicity, is not worth it. Be mindful that putting yourself out of your comfort zone is necessary. But the thin line here is if setting yourself in that position doesn’t add to your growth, makes you feel horrible, and, most importantly, isn’t something you can handle emotionally.
For instance, we all use social media; even it can play a significant role in making us feel bad about ourselves. If using social media is toxic for your mental health, there is nothing that should stop you from deleting it and living without it.
Jared Rice
You can truly appreciate that each day is a gift, only if you’re mentally at peace. It does take a lot of patience and effort to get to that place, but once you’re there, it’s worth it. When we don’t prioritize our mental health, we aren’t taking care of ourselves.
In doing so, we’re standing in the way of us feeling secure, happy, peaceful, and grateful. That is the reason why it is vital not to ignore your mental health.
Being mentally healthy can be a lengthy and challenging process, though. And if it weren’t stigmatized as much as it is, more people would understand and emphasize its importance. Whether it is through therapy, self-care, exercise, medication, rehabilitation, do whatever it takes to become mentally healthy. Only then can you respect every day, value its importance, and understand that each day is a gift.
5. Appreciate The People In Your Life
It’s said that we are the people we surround ourselves with and the connections we make. The people in our lives are part of who we are. Whether it’s family, friends, colleagues, or partners, they add value to our lives and make it even more meaningful. When emotions are shared, big moments are celebrated, and joy is spread, we find support, comfort, and happiness in the people around us.
It’s important to show appreciation for the people around us because life is nothing without meaningful and special bonds. It’s a blessing to have people care about us, to feel like somebody loves us unconditionally. It’s a reminder that no matter what happens, however big of a mess you are in or however sad you feel, there will always be someone there for you. And if nothing else does, this thought in itself can make you feel better.
Melissa Askew
Not only is it crucial to have that person, but it is also important to be that person for someone else. Showing love and attention has since too long been labeled as “uncool.” There is nothing wrong with showing how much you care, especially to people who matter to you.
The more you show appreciation, the more you will get it. And won’t the world be a much better, safer, and unique place if everyone was extravagant about their feelings of love?
But at the same time, it is essential to let toxic people go. It will never do you any good to keep people in your life who don’t make you feel about yourself. Such people don’t deserve your time. While it is essential to put any effort into all kinds of relationships and friendships, some are just not worth it if you feel disrespected or hurt.
An appreciation for the people you love and a habit of letting toxicity go are ways of valuing yourself and your worth. In turn, you will be able to feel grateful for everything you have, making you realize that each day is a gift and that too, one you should share with people you love.
6. Be Grateful
Appreciation translates into a feeling of gratefulness. But showing regard for what you have can be hard. Because no matter what you have, it is always relatively lesser than others. And let’s admit it, that can make us feel horrible about ourselves.
After all, even if we come into a little money because of a promotion or have amazing friends or become mentally healthy and happy, the Kardashians will always have more.
That is undoubtedly one perspectivee to look at it. But it’s not doing you any favors. Comparison and envy have since long been responsible for our plight and predicament. It’s a slippery, never-ending slope.
Disregarding what you have because someone else has more or has it better will cause you nothing but pain. But fighting for what you deserve, that’s an important path to take.
For instance, women fought for equal rights because men already had them, and as citizens, we had an equal entitlement to them. Now, having achieved that, we are fighting for equal opportunities and treatment. Because as equal citizens, we have the same right to it as men have.
Simon Maage
Of course, when things are crumbling all around us, and we feel helpless and unhappy, it’s hard to be grateful for what we do have. In dire situations, nobody’s first instinct is to thank their stars, fortune, cards, heavens, whatever you believe in.
But that makes it all the more important to be grateful, even if it feels impossible. Look for that silver lining. Do what gives you joy, go to your happy place, do whatever it takes to remind yourself that there are always good things and people in life, if not now, then later.
Self-affirmations and reassurance don’t come naturally to most of us. That is why prioritizing your mental health is important. You’re the happiest if you are grateful for what you have and are able to understand that each day is a gift and you must treasure it with all your heart. Click here to read, from a psychological point of view, about the importance of gratitude to understand that each day is a gift.
7. Love And Respect Yourself
Self-love is being given more attention on social media platforms these days. As more and more people realize that mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and other disorders, stem from self-deprecation and low self-esteem, there is additional stress on loving yourself.
If you don’t love and admire who you are, you will never be in a position to admire anything else about your life. And unfortunately, as rosy as self-love sounds, it takes a difficult journey, incredible patience, and a healthy heart to get there, a fact a lot of people have come to understand.
Tim Mossholder
Through media, magazines, society, and pop-culture, we, especially women, have been handed very high beauty standards to live up to. As a result, we all find ourselves looking for validation through the clothes we wear, the pictures we post, and the social life we have.
There has always been an undue pressure to be perfect, which has harmed millions of impressionable minds all over the globe. That is why we need to work on ourselves, understand who we are, and practice self-love. Only then can we appreciate that each day is a gift. Click here to read more about why self-love is essential.
Each day is a gift, only if we make it out to be. Not having a genuine appreciation for what we have will stand in the way of understanding that each day when we’re alive and healthy is a blessing. And we should be grateful for it.
On Mental Health
While it’s easy to say that each day is a gift, it can be hard to believe. Mostly, our mental health issues don’t let us be grateful and kind to ourselves. Click here to read up about mental health and access the resources you need. Don’t hesitate to ask for help ever.
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Last Updated on by Himani Rawat
